MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Playing out of the First Round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018 and the first time as an At-Large team in the First Round since 2013, seventh-seeded Post University Men's Soccer notched their first win in program history as an At-Large in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament after being 0-3-0 entering the day. Junior midfielder Markus Boe Tunge's goal in the second half against the tenth-seeded University of the District of Columbia would be enough to send the Eagles to the Second Round on Sunday against two-seeded Southern New Hampshire University with a 1-0 win. 

THE BASICS

#7 Post University 1, #10 University of the District of Columbia 0 

#7 Post University (13-5-3)

#10 University of the District of Columbia (8-8-4)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 
Nine total yellow cards were issues in the match with the Firebirds accounting for five of them compared to four for the Eagles in a match that was slow to get going for both sides in the first half. Just six total shots would be taken between the two squads with Post holding a 4-2 advantage overall and 3-0 edge in shots on goal, forcing freshman goalkeeper Giovanni Llamas to make three stops to keep the game scoreless after 45 minutes.

Graduate goalkeeper Ricardo Moreno, who would end up getting his ninth shutout of the season, needed to make no saves in the opening half of play as both shots from the University of the District of Columbia were wide right of the goal mouth. Post also generated six total corner kicks, three in each half, while the Firebirds were shut down from having any corner opportunities throughout the duration of the match. 

But the scoreless tie would be broken soon after the second half got underway as Boe Tunge was threaded a pass near the middle of the field just outside of the box by junior forward Matheus Milagres. Rifling a shot into the top left corner past Llamas, Boe Tunge gave the Eagles a 1-0 lead in the 50th minute which would hold up the rest of the way.

The first of only two shots on goal for the Firebirds would not come until the 84th minute from senior midfielder Liam Thompson, which was stopped by Moreno. Then sophomore midfielder Igancio Lopez's shot in the 87th minute would be the other of two saves for Moreno in the 1-0 shutout win for Post who advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.

BY THE NUMBERS 

• Netting another game-winning goal today, Markus Boe Tunge has two game-winning goals in the postseason and three total on the year which have all been 1-0 wins for the Eagles 
• Making two saves in the shutout win, Ricardo Moreno is now responsible for nine shutouts this season with Post University which ties him with Soren Jensen's mark of nine last season 
• With the win today, this is the first time in program history Post University has won a First Round match entering the NCAA Tournament with an At-Large bid -- The Eagles were 0-2-0 as an At-Large in the First Round entering the day 
• This was the first-ever matchup in program history between Post University and the University of the District of Columbia 

WHO'S NEXT 
Post University will face two-seeded Southern New Hampshire University at 3:00 PM on Sunday in Manchester, New Hampshire in what will be a rematch from the regular season. In the third game of the season for the Eagles, they were downed at LaMoy Field by the Penmen, 7-0, but are 1-1-1 in the last three matches against them since 2022.